An oscilloscope is an electronic test instrument that receives an input signal and displays the input signal as function of time. An oscilloscope receives a clock signal associated with the input signal and determines a time base for the signal. The oscilloscope then samples the input signal according to the time base to determine a waveform shape for the input signal over time. The input signal is then displayed according to the time base. The oscilloscope may also employ various transforms to convert portions of the signal into a frequency domain for display. Advanced oscilloscopes may even receive a plurality of input signals and display such signals on the same screen for comparison.
But there are shortcomings with the conventional systems. For example, a traditional oscilloscope employs a single time base generated based on a single incoming clock signal. Accordingly, a traditional oscilloscope is limited to displaying synchronous signals. Specifically, all incoming signals must be modulated based on a single clock signal and are then displayed according to a common time base. As such, a traditional oscilloscope is incapable of receiving and simultaneously displaying a plurality of asynchronous signals, where asynchronous signals are modulated according to different clock signals. Further, a traditional oscilloscope would be incapable of receiving and completely displaying all components of a multiplexed signal where the multiplexed signal comprises a plurality of multiplexed signal components each modulated according to varying clock signals.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other issues in the prior art.